Display case with elevating article support



y 4, 1956 A. L, ORTENDAHL ,7

DISPLAY CASE WITH ELEVATING ARTICLE SUPPORT Filed June 8, 1954 INVENTOR. ANDREW L. ORTENDAHL BY ml Wm ATTORNEY ted States Patent DISPLAY CASE WITH ELEVATIN G ARTICLE SUPPORT Andrew L. Ortendahl, West Roxbury, Mass, assignor to Farrington Manufacturing Company, Boston, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application June 8, 1954, Serial No. 435,237 2 Claims. (Cl. 20645.13)

This invention relates generally to the packaging of jewelry, and more particularly to a case including an elevating article support for articles such as watches, bracelets, and the like. In the packaging of articles such as watches and bracelets, it has been found desirable to utilize a case which completely surrounds the article when closed, and yet which presents the article in a most pleasing display position when opened.

It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide in a conventional hinged jewelry case, means whereby the article of jewelry is raised when the case is opened, so that the article may be displayed in an elevated position relative to the bottom of the case. The novel features of this invention, together with further objects and advantages thereof will become more readily apparent when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the jewelry case of this invention with the cover of the case raised;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the jewelry case invention with the cover of the case closed; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the jewelry case invention with the cover of the case open.

Referring now to Figs. 1-3, it will be observed that the jewelry case of this invention includes a conventional hollow base 11 and cover 12. Cover 12 is hinged to base 11 with a double-leaf hinge 13 which allows at least 90 arcuate travel of cover 12 with respect to base 11 when cover 12 is raised. Spanning the remote edges of hinge 13 is a pair of split ring springs 14 to provide snap action in raising and lowering cover 12. Hinge 13 may be atfixed to base 11 and cover 12 in any conventional manner as with tabs 15, all of which is well known to those skilled in the art.

According to this invention, however, there is included within the case an article supporting member 21 having a C-shaped forward portion 22 and a rearward portion 23 of relatively thin material, curved as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. In proximity to its edge, rearward pcttion 23 includes a pair of slots 24 for fastening supporting member 21 to cover 12. To this end, a pair of tabs 25 projecting from cover 12 are passed through slots 24 and bent backwards upon themselves. Tabs 25 are not tightly compressed, however, so that supporting men.- ber 21 is free to rotate about the axis defined by line 30-30 connecting tabs 25. Extending downwardly from supporting member 21 is a spacer member or tab 26 which spaces forward portion 22 from base 11. Preferably, base 11 is provided with a liner 27 having an in clined rearward portion for engagement with tab 26.

of this of this In operation, forward portion 22 of article supporting member 21 lies closely adjacent base 11 and in partial contact therewith when cover 12 is closed as shoWn in Fig. 2. When cover 12 is open, however, as shown in Fig. 3, forward portion 22 is elevated with respect to base 11 owing to the increased separation therebetween provided by tab 26 in cooperation with the rearward portion of liner 27. More particularly, as cover 12 is raised, supporting member 21 is drawn towards the right of Fig. 3 causing tab 26 to slide along the inclined rearward portion of liner 27. Consequently, supporting member 21 is also rotated clockwise about axis 30-30 thereby elevating forward portion 22 with respect to base 11. In lowering cover 12 it is apparent that these operations will be reversed. Such an arrangement has been found particularly desirable since springs 14, hinge 13 and portions of cover 12 do not come in contact with supporting member 21 until cover 12 is completely raised or very nearly so. Oscillation of supporting member 21 with attendant jouncing and possible damage to the article such as would be occasioned by the sudden impact of springs 14, for example, coming in contact with rearward portion 23 is thereby prevented.

Although what has been illustrated and described is a presently preferred embodiment of this invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the same is susceptible of various modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Therefore what I claim is:

1. In a case having a hollow base and a hinged cover, a liner contained by said base and having an upwardly inclined rearward portion; and an article supporting member fastened to the inside of said cover for rotation about an axis parallel and relatively close to the axis about which said cover is hinged, said supporting member including a downwardly extending spacer tab adapted to come in contact with the inclined rearward portion of said liner thereby to elevate said supporting member with respect to said base when said cover is raised.

2. In a case having a hollow base and a cover hinged to said base; a camming surface disposed inside of said base, said camming surface taking the form of an up wardly inclined ramp adjacent the rear of said base; an article supporting member fastened to the inside of said cover for rotation about an axis parallel to the hinge axis of said cover and extending forwardly from said axis into said base; and a spacer member extending substantially downwardly from said supporting member into said base, said spacer member being adapted to ride up the ramp at the rear of said base as said cover is raised and rotate said supporting member about its axis through a path spaced from the top rear edge of said base, the lower rear edge of said cover and the intervening hinge.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 416,552 Bique Dec. 3, 1889 1,010,442 Menger Dec. 5, 1911 1,666,001 Catala Apr. 10, 1928 2,575,016 Hopp et al. Nov. 13, 1951 2,667,967 Blod et a1 Feb. 2, 1954 2,698,084 Burroughs et a1 Dec. 28, 1954 

